O God, who broughtst me from the rest of last night
Unto the joyous light of this day,
Be thou bringing me from the new light of this day
Unto the guiding light of eternity.
Unto the guiding light of eternity
Celtic prayer
Today has been relaxed. A couple of visitors, a nice quiche lunch with delicious raisin bread brought by last night by a neighbor. I am feeling well and have been reading and napping all afternoon. Delicious!
It occurs to me that I think little about death. I see dying as a natural physical process which is progressing somewhat mysteriously at its own rate. On the other hand, my thoughts are on life and the joys of relationship and family. My preoccupation is with life and the beauty of each day. I think this is not a denial of death but an affirmation of life.
This afternoon I remembered two special items that have been stored for some time. One is the pottery otter bowl we bought many years ago. The other is mental vase with two swans, necks entwined. Somehow they became important pieces of nostalgia and I have asked that they be brought back into the living room where I can enjoy them again.
In the 1960's I had the privilege of taking a class from Abraham Joshua Heschel, one of the great Jewish theologians and mystics of the last century. I have read his writings over the years, always with appreciation and insight. He writes:
THE greatest problem is not how to continue but how to exalt our existence. The cry for a life beyond the grave is presumptuous, if there is no cry for eternal life prior to our descending to the grave. Eternity is not perpetual future but perpetual presence. God has planted in us the seed of eternal life. The world to come is not only a hereafter but also a herenow. . . . Death so understood will not be distorted by the craving for immortality, for this act of giving away is reciprocity on our part for God's gift of life. For the pious . . . it is a privilege to die.
Perhaps this helps explain why I am not preoccupied with death. Life itself is so rich and abundant that I cannot ignore its mystery and bounty. Rather I celebrate life and feel deep gratitude for it. That provides a bridge and an eternal home in the divine.
Hafa Adai from Saipan, Donel.
Thanks for the Blog! It allows us to cross the many miles quickly and keep in touch. It is quite a climate change here. The lows at night are about 75 degrees. Unfortunately, all our work is inside during the day so we are definately not working on our tans! It has been four very intense days of working with principals and teachers on large and formative assessment strategies. It is 6:08 pm on Thursday night here. We are so glad our birds are watching over yoiu in our absence!
Take care,
ZOT
Posted by: Bruce at April 28, 2005 01:08 AMDear Don,
I have been reflecting on the years you have been in my life as my preacher and freind and from the beginning you have been teaching me how to live my life with meaning. Now you are teaching me how to die. I of course do not know when I will use your lesson but I only hope I will be able to remember when the time comes.
But I now so often think of Marilyn. I guess it is easier for me to visualize the role of loving spouse and the waiting.... I have lost count of the times you sat with me at the hospital, Don,while I waited through one of Fred's surgery.
Perhaps this is too personal a question but how does one help his/her partner walk the dance with you knowing she/he will be have to let you go.
Can you teach us this part?
Fondly,
Peggy
Since this message mentioned raisin bread, it seemed appropriate to go back to the Ben and Jerry's singles conversation. The place where Ben and Jerry's singles are most readily available are, believe it or not, London theaters. When my sister and I visited London in 2000, we went to see a play starring Dame Maggie Smith and written by an award-winning English playwright. It seemed like it would be a "heady" experience, and much of it was. But, at intermission, the doors suddenly opened and all of the ushers came in wearing large contraptions over their shoulders. A huge round tub hung at their wastes, making them all look 9-months pregnant. British theater-goers rushed over and "queued up." My sister and I sat in our seats, confused, feeling like ugly Americans. Surely, we were missing out on some sophisticated English ritual. We watched people come back to their seats with...you guessed it...Ben and Jerry's singles. We realized we were the only ones left in our seats without ice cream and wooden-stick spoons, so we rushed over, just before the warning lights blinked. We managed to come back with the last New York Super Fudge Chunk. This and the Cherry Garcia were the most common flavors consumed. I've been to the theater in London twice since them, and this even was no fluke. Cherry Garcia singles in the West End--who knew?
Cheers,
Cindy Paces
Donel,
There has been a birth in my family. Wednesday, while waiting for Audrey Caelin Allen my 2nd grandchild to arrive, I thought of how you and I are similar in our joy of babies. My husband Jerry has to remind me that they all do NOT belong to me! It seems that you and I would have been equally suited to our chosen professions and that of a hospital volunteer who rocks the newborn babies. (The perfect job)
I hope to see you soon and share with you the joy I am enjoying.
Sharon
Posted by: sharon allen at April 28, 2005 05:32 PM
Dear Don,
Thank you so much for including the Old English Prayer in your blog. I have been saying a rendition of that since I was a little girl but now I realize that my mother, who was born in England, taught it to me. There is not a night that goes by that I don't say it.
Thank you for all the insight you have provided me in this process of the dance you are going through. You have always had the gift of saying the right things at the right times and this blog is proof of that. You will be dearly missed but your words will be remembered.
With love, Anita
Posted by: Anita at April 27, 2005 10:09 PM